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When Madagascar broke free from India, ancient blind snakes hopped aboard for the ride, according to new genetic research. "The small burrowing snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, but are primarily distributed across the southern hemisphere. The earthworm-like snakes use a specially adapted mouth to eat eggs and larvae and may spend all of their lives under ground. Furthermore, researchers have struggled-because of it's almost exclusively subterranean lifestyle-to explain the elusive snake's geographic distribution."

"Delmas, a French shipping company that has been under pressure for facilitating the destruction of Madagascar's rainforest parks, has been cleared to begin picking up contraband rosewood as soon as Monday, report local sources in the Indian Ocean island nation. Leaders behind last year's military coup - which displaced the autocratic, but democratically elected President Marc Ravalomanana - have signed off on the shipment."